All in Work’s day

Lake City coach Laura Tolzmann and ace pitcher Lela Work both said Thursday that their team has yet to reach its peak.

But after a 9-0 Inland Empire League softball victory over Post Falls, that sentiment may be changing.

Work tossed a one-hitter for the Timberwolves (13-6 overall, 8-5 IEL), who pounded out nine singles to avenge a loss last time out against the Trojans (11-8, 7-6) and get back on track after a split Wednesday at Moscow.

The win provided a small comfort zone for LC as it vies with Post Falls and Lewiston (12-8, 8-6) for regional seeding in the final few games of the regular season. Once-beaten Coeur d’Alene has a near lock on the No. 1 seed and rights to host the 5A Region I tournament.

“After the (previous) loss, I just wanted to beat them that much more,” said Work, who ripped two solid singles off Post Falls starter Blake Meredith. “We played well as a team and hit through the entire game, so that was good.

“It was a nice win for us.”

The Timberwolves scored once in the first on Bri Harbour’s RBI single and Jessica Ross knocked in two more in a three-run fourth. LC took advantage of five Trojans errors to bat around and score five more in the sixth.

Tolzmann, frustrated lately with her team’s up-and-down performance, found something to smile about.

“I am very proud today,” Tolzmann said. “Yesterday was trouble a little bit, just getting things all together, and today I think we put it all together.

“We came out and I think we showed a lot of character today.”

The outcome came down to execution.

“After the last time we played Post Falls, we knew we needed to turn it on,” Tolzmann said. “We hit, scored first and did everything I asked, so I’m very proud.”

Post Falls coach Jack Foster said he told his team after the loss to keep their heads up because they are still right in the thick of it.

“We had a chance – I don’t know how many errors we had,” Foster said. “Blake threw a great game – they didn’t hit the ball hard, you know, she got them to hit the ball down on the ground to people – we’ve just got to give her some help.

“It’s not for a lack of effort – I’m just kind of at a loss for words.”

Sophomore Kaitlyn McDonald, went 3 for 4 leading off and playing shortstop in the absence of LC star senior Richelle Fenenbock, in Orlando, Fla., this week for a national DECA conference.

Freshman Brianne Joseph had the lone hit for Post Falls.